The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 102 Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!

A glint of light flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

"I want cooperation first! Just like the strategy you mentioned before, it starts with cooperation! Let Father and the court officials see that I consider the big picture and have the demeanor of a crown prince! And let Qingque's brotherly affection act not seem so unique!"

The more he talked about it, the more he felt that this plan was brilliant. It could please the emperor, silence the public, and also bring him fame.

“That makes perfect sense,” Li Yichen affirmed.

“Your Highness has proactively demonstrated a cooperative attitude, thus shifting the pressure back. If anything happens in Xizhou in the future, it will be clear who bears the responsibility. More importantly, this move aligns with the initial steps of a ‘tit-for-tat’ strategy. We first show goodwill, we first cooperate. But…”

He changed the subject, his tone calm but cold.

"If Cui Dunli, or the person behind him, takes Your Highness's cooperation as weakness and vulnerability, and then goes further and tries to frame and attack you... then Your Highness's swift counterattack will be perfectly justified, and no one will be able to find fault with it."

"The court officials will only think that the other party has failed His Highness's benevolence, and that His Highness's counterattack is a necessary move to maintain his authority and the law of the court."

"This is more likely to win people's hearts than starting with a tense standoff, and it is also more conducive to establishing His Highness's authority through a combination of kindness and severity."

Li Chengqian slammed his hand heavily on the desk, causing the pen holder to shake.

"Yes! Yes! I will use this game of strategy to handle this matter! First, cooperate, then observe his actions! If he follows the rules, Xizhou will be stable, and I will have contributed. If he does not follow the rules, then I will take action, which will be acting on behalf of Heaven and cleaning up the house!"

He felt as if he had grasped an invisible sword, allowing him to advance or retreat at his own discretion, no longer having to passively endure as he had in the past.

Once the initial excitement wore off, he immediately realized the key point and leaned forward.

"Yichen, how exactly should we handle this bond? We can't just talk about it and ask people to pay up, can we? This anchor is good, but we still need a real proof."

Li Yichen had anticipated this question and answered calmly.

"Your Highness's concerns are very valid. The most important thing in issuing bonds is trust, and the outward manifestation of trust is that the bonds themselves must be unique and difficult to counterfeit, so as to prevent counterfeiters from doing so, ensure the rights and interests of the holders, and maintain the credibility of the Crown Prince's Palace."

After a moment's thought, he continued, "I suggest that Your Highness should immediately begin to secretly recruit the most skilled papermakers, engravers, and even craftsmen who are adept at preparing special inks from Chang'an and the surrounding areas, under the pretext of repairing the artifacts of the Eastern Palace or making ceremonial objects."

"The number of people does not need to be large, but they must be reliable. After being recruited, they will be housed in a royal estate trusted by His Highness, with a death pact signed to strictly keep information confidential. They will be offered substantial rewards, and the consequences of leaking information must be clearly stated."

A fierce glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

“That’s easy! I do own several imperial estates, in remote locations, and the estate managers are all servants born into families who have been slaves for generations. Their lives and fortunes are all in my hands.”

"I will send another team of absolutely loyal Crown Prince guards, ostensibly to protect them, but in reality to supervise them, to ensure that not even a fly can escape! The craftsmen and their families shall all stay in the manor temporarily, and shall not go out to communicate without orders!"

"Very good." Li Yichen nodded, then took out a piece of paper that he had prepared beforehand from his sleeve and handed it over.

"Your Highness, these are some ideas I have compiled regarding bond anti-counterfeiting. Please take a look."

Li Chengqian quickly took it and examined it carefully. The items on the paper were clearly written, including methods such as paper selection, woodblock printing, marking and signature, numbering and archiving, ink color and overprinting.

Li Chengqian read line by line, his eyes growing brighter with each reading, and he couldn't help but applaud in admiration.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Such layers of protection virtually eliminate the possibility of forgery! Hmm, the paper must be unique, the engraving intricate, the markings complete, and the serial number unique..."

"Good! This way, those who lent money and grain can rest assured. What they hold is a unique certificate, backed by the Crown Prince's reputation and the Snowflake Salt!"

He could almost see those exquisitely crafted, counterfeit-proof bonds being solemnly passed around among wealthy merchants, and a surge of pride welled up within him.

"Yichen, your thinking is so thorough it's astonishing! You even thought of such details!"

Li Yichen bowed slightly. "I am only doing my best. In addition, the specific terms of the bonds, such as the loan amount, annual interest rate, repayment period, and redemption location and method, should also be drafted as soon as possible to ensure that they are clear, unambiguous, and without any ambiguity."

"Once the charter is published, it must be strictly followed, which is also the key to establishing credibility."

"I understand!"

Li Chengqian was full of energy at this moment, feeling as if a broad road was unfolding before him.

"There's no time to lose, I'll personally make the arrangements! Craftsmen, venue, materials, guards—I'll personally select and arrange everything! Everything must be flawlessly executed!"

As he spoke, he stood up, his face flushed with excitement, and although his steps were still somewhat limping, they appeared exceptionally firm and powerful.

He knew that both salt production and bond manufacturing were secrets that could never be known to outsiders, especially not to his father, the Emperor, or the Prince of Wei.

Fortunately, as the crown prince, he still had some power, as long as he didn't overuse the army or touch the core power. He could use some artisans, allocate some royal estate resources, and arrange a team of trusted guards.

Although the Eastern Palace system was under the emperor's supervision, it was not entirely without autonomy. As long as the actions were quick enough and the arrangements were meticulous enough, it was not difficult to deceive the emperor for a while.

"Your Highness's personal involvement is certainly a safe approach. However, caution is essential; all procedures must be conducted through single-line communication, and the fewer people who know the details, the better."

Li Yichen gave a final reminder.

"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing!"

The entire Eastern Palace, following the Crown Prince's commands, began to operate quietly like a sophisticated machine.

Three days passed quietly.

Li Chengqian was exceptionally busy for the next three days.

He rarely received outsiders, and even his daily political meetings were much shorter than before. Whenever he had free time, he would bury himself in various lists, drawings, and material lists.

He constantly summoned his subordinates and trusted eunuchs, issuing various seemingly scattered but actually clearly targeted orders.

Specific artisans belonging to the Eastern Palace were conscripted, and certain inconspicuous raw materials were transferred from the Imperial Household Department or outside the palace under various pretexts to strengthen the defense of certain imperial estates, and some of the original tenants were temporarily relocated elsewhere...

These actions, taken individually, are not particularly remarkable, and some are even quite reasonable.

However, in the eyes of some observant people, or rather, in the eyes of the emperor who was constantly watching the movements of the Crown Prince's palace, it gradually became a suspicious fog.

Inside the Liangyi Hall, Li Shimin was reviewing memorials when he casually asked Wang De, who was standing to his side, a question.

"These past few days, the Crown Prince has been frequently mobilizing artisans and supplies, and the lights in Xiande Hall have often been kept on until late at night. What is he doing?"

Wang De bowed and cautiously reported back.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince seems to be keen on supervising the production of some palace artifacts lately, saying that... he wants to achieve perfection. Indeed, he has requisitioned some craftsmen to his imperial estates and strengthened patrols around the estates, saying that some valuable timber and tribute items prepared for presentation are stored there, and therefore need to be strictly guarded."

"Oh? A toy? An offering?"

Li Shimin put down his vermilion brush and gazed intently towards the direction of the East Palace outside the palace.

"When did he become so concerned with these crafts? And to go to such lengths, with such tight security..."

(End of this chapter)